


JACK'S MIRACLE

by Krafter2014



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Possible Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 12:33:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12432936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krafter2014/pseuds/Krafter2014
Summary: Jack O'Neill was at the Pentagon on 9/11.





	JACK'S MIRACLE

**Author's Note:**

> Possible triggers for 9/11, the attack on the Pentagon in particular.

With an extraordinary announcement, General Hammond had given permission for all personnel to watch the TV coverage of the event in the break room and elsewhere. Everyone in the SGC was glued to the monitors, watching the World Trade Towers burn when a banner run across the bottom of the screens. "THE PENTAGON IS BURNING!" The pictures of clouds of smoke and fire coming from the Pentagon were graphic. Gasps of horror were heard as it sank in that the country was being attacked. Daniel instinctively moved closer to his teammates, his arms wrapped around his chest. If only Jack were here....

"Was not O'Neill's meeting scheduled for this time?" Teal'c asked with unprecedented emotion as he stiffened to attention. 

Daniel jerked his head toward Teal'c as it dawned on him that not only was Jack not beside him, but he could very well be at the heart of the attack. His arms tightened until he could scarcely breathe.

Hammond's voice was very quiet. "Yes, it was." He moved closer to the screen. The rest of the gathered personnel drew back to allow SG-1 to have an unobstructed view.

Sam shivered. "How fast can we find out if he was in the area?" Her fingers closed around Daniel's arm. It was hard to tell if it was for his support or for her own. Teal'c moved to stand behind them like a guardian.

"Really, Sam, you know Jack's going to be involved even if he was on the other side of the building when it happened." Daniel felt the color leave his face. He sat down as he realized they might not know Jack's fate for hours. 

Hammond drew everyone's attention with, "I don't care how long it takes, we are getting started now. Major Carter, begin making inquiries on the Internet. Daniel and Teal'c, I want you to watch the news and keep us updated that way. Lieutenant Simmons, you start calling Washington. I know that's a long shot, but we are going to use every avenue available. I want everyone in the SGC to make a list of people we should be asking about. Relatives have priority. I'll see if anyone upstairs has any news."

Daniel did a stunned double-take as he visualized General Hammond talking to God. "Do you think NORAD will know anything we don't?"

"No, but we can coordinate our inquiries and avoid duplication. Also, I want someone on the short wave too." Hammond looked every day of his true age as he walked away. Daniel felt a surge of pride in his comrades as they moved away to their assigned tasks. He wished Jack could be here to see how much he was valued. He just wished Jack were here—and safe.

With a final squeeze to Daniel's arm, Sam started toward the command center. Daniel looked up. "Sam? Why not use the computer in your lab?"

"I don't think this is a good time to be alone, Daniel." Sam's voice was steady but Daniel didn't believe she was as calm as she attempted to appear. He tried to send reassurance with his gaze. He didn't think he was very successful.

"Your efforts will be beneficial as always, Major Carter," Teal'c intoned.

The other people with jobs left and one or two friends went with them for support. Then Daniel and Teal'c settled down to watch the news. Daniel feared theirs might be the hardest task. 

~~~~

It had been six very agonizing hours and the SGC knew the death toll at the Pentagon wasn't as high as was first feared. But, Jack was still missing, as were many others on the list Hammond had requested. As more news was released about the damage at the Pentagon with no word of Jack, Daniel's heart grew heavier. He and Teal'c avoided looking at each other but moved closer together in silent support. As time passed without news, other members of the SGC joined them in the break room. Daniel appreciated their sense of unity. He hadn't realized how many of the SGC people had relatives in the military, too many of whom were stationed in Washington. That didn't even include the friends and relatives in New York. The Towers had fallen, decreasing the chances of any survivors walking out. The Pentagon was still burning, and although Daniel and the others were relieved to hear the section hit didn't belong to the Air Force, they couldn't help thinking Jack should have let them know if he was alive.

Eventually, General Hammond appeared in the doorway and ordered Daniel and Teal'c away from the break room to get a meal neither of them wanted. "Take Major Carter with you." When they hesitated, the General grew stern. "That was not a request, people."

Hammond escorted Daniel and Teal'c to the command center to collect Sam. Her concentration on her computer was so total that she jumped when Daniel touched her shoulder. Before Daniel could ask Sam if she had any news, the phone on the wall rang. Daniel was closest and he leapt to answer it, half-afraid of what he would hear.

"Is that you, Danny? They got you answering the phones now?"

Daniel's grip on the phone was strong but his knees weakened and he leaned against the wall. "Jack! You're alive! Why didn't you let us know?" He turned to Sam and Teal'c, waving his free hand at the phone. "It's...it's...he's...Jack... Jack's alive!"

Daniel clutched the phone even tighter as Sam almost grabbed it out of his hand. Hammond switched it over to the speakerphone function as fast as he could, the relieved smile growing larger on his face. Teal'c took a step toward Daniel and stood at attention. The beeping of the equipment was the only sound in the command center as the people on duty focused on the conversation.

Jack's voice was tired but the best sound Daniel had ever heard. "I'm sorry, I would have called before this but I was helping get people out of the dangerous areas. I couldn't get to a working phone before this. Guess you know what happened."

"We know, son," Hammond replied. "The whole world knows."

Although it wasn't needed, he was still holding the phone, almost superstitiously convinced that if he hung up, Jack would no longer be there. Sam took the receiver from Daniel and replaced it gently. Uncharacteristically, Daniel took her hand and they smiled at each other. "Didn't I tell you he'd be in the thick of things even if he wasn't in the area?" Daniel muttered.

"I heard that, Daniel, and I was in the next section when the plane crashed. I couldn't just walk away. I ended up manning a fire extinguisher while the officers I was with helped some injured victims out. Then, when I tried to call, the EMT's made me go to the emergency room. I'm not really hurt." Jack's voice was without its usual sarcasm.

"Is that 'not really hurt' as in a minor injury or an 'I'm not dead so it isn't serious' grave bodily injury?" Daniel's suspicious question made Teal'c arch an eyebrow, and Hammond looked knowing. 

"A few minor burns and bruises, so there's no need for me to go to the infirmary when I get home." He sounded very determined. Daniel was sure O'Neill was trying to be soothing, but he was failing miserably. Daniel couldn't imagine the horrors Jack had seen.

People packed into the command center as SGC personnel spread the word that their missing Colonel was on the phone. Everyone listened breathlessly to the conversation.

"When can we expect you home, Colonel?" the General asked.

"I'll be returning on a military flight tomorrow. The Joint Chiefs think this would be a bad time for the Goa'uld to attack, so they've ordered me home. They think you need my indispensable presence." The attempt at flippancy made Daniel's heart ache for Jack. "I can't really do anything here now the experts are showing up. I'll bring a list of identified survivors and missing persons with me."

Dr. Fraiser made her way through the crowd until she was close enough to be heard on the phone, "You'd better bring your ER records with you, if you know what's good for you, Colonel."

General Hammond smiled, even though Jack couldn't see it. "Follow that order, Colonel O'Neill. I don't want you getting back here only to collapse." Daniel and Sam nodded in agreement.

"Don't you believe me when I tell you I'm not badly injured?" Jack's voice was rather plaintive, which did not begin to reassure Daniel. He knew Jack's physical injuries would not be the worst.

The response was from everyone in the room was a resounding, "No!" Daniel smiled. Jack was too well known to the SGC to conceal his condition.

"Oh, well, I am healthy, or they wouldn't let me fly back tomorrow." 

Daniel was sure his expression matched Sam's as they both remembered too many times when Jack had concealed injuries in order to be able to do something he wanted or to conceal his vulnerability. And he sounded as if he needed to get back to his friends as much as they needed him there.

"I have to go now; there are people waiting for this phone. I don't know exactly when I'll get there, but I'll come straight to the Mountain." Jack hung up abruptly. He had almost concealed the tremor in his voice.

There was total silence for a second, then the room exploded in cheers. Daniel grabbed Sam and Janet as he shouted, "He's alive!!" Hammond allowed the noise to continue for several minutes, then ordered all staff to return to their stations. "We do still have jobs to do, people. I'm as relieved as you are that Colonel O'Neill is alive, and I expect a proper welcome to be arranged for him." The SGC personnel scattered discussing how big a welcome-home they could arrange before the next day. They had to let Jack know he had their support and understanding.

~~~~~~~~~~  
Daniel was practically vibrating with excitement as he waited with the welcome party for Jack's car to arrive at the base entrance. The terrible scenarios he'd visualized while waiting for news had not materialized. Jack was coming home. It was up to them to help O'Neill deal with his nightmares. Jack had enough nightmares in his life already without this new tragedy.

"Daniel, you have to calm down a little," Sam urged. The tension in her posture belied her words.

"Like you're not excited, Sam? You've mangled that poor report." He gestured at the paper in her hand.

She tucked it behind her back. "You weren't supposed to notice that."

"It is hard to avoid, since you have been waving it in our faces," Teal'c said, deadpan.

An official car pulled up, and Jack opened the door almost before it stopped moving. Daniel and Sam scanned him quickly for injuries, but they saw only two small burns on his face. The second Jack stood up, Daniel grabbed him in a huge bear hug. He could feel Jack shaking as Sam wormed her way into the hug from the other side. Jack was still for a moment and Daniel realized he was collecting himself. Then he hugged them back and gasped, "I do need to breathe." As Daniel and Sam stepped back reluctantly, Teal'c approached Jack.

"You'd better not be thinking what I think you're thinking," Jack held up a warning finger and backed away from a potential Jaffa hug. "I don't want to get cozy with Junior."

"Would I?" Teal'c gripped Jack's shoulders in a warrior's greeting. He released Jack immediately as the Colonel flinched. "What damage have you sustained, O'Neill?"

"I just have a few bruises." Jack backed away as Dr. Fraiser materialized in front of him.

She gave Jack no chance to get away. "You are going to the infirmary first. I won't try to keep SG-1 from coming with us, but everyone else can wait till later to talk to you."

"But Doc, I've already been treated," Jack whined. Daniel smiled to himself. Jack had tried that approach with Janet before and it had never worked yet.

It didn't this time, either. "Not by me, and I'm the only one who counts here. Now move!" Janet didn't push him, and Daniel was sure it was only because she wasn't sure where his physical injuries were located. His eyes revealed his inner pain.

Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c followed Jack and Janet closely as they headed for the lower levels. Daniel meant to support Jack, and he was sure Sam and Teal'c were equally reluctant to let him out of their sight. Hammond fell into step with him. They formed a protective ring around him in the elevator.

Jack was still complaining as they stepped off the elevator to be greeted with a shout of, "Welcome back!" from SGC personnel. Jack backed up into Teal'c in surprise. The Jaffa placed his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"What's this for?" Jack asked in dismay. "I don't need anything like this."

"You may not, but we do," Hammond reassured him. "We can't do anything for the other victims, but we can show you what it means to us for you to come home."

"But I'm not a victim or a hero, General." The Colonel's eyes were shadowed with memories of what he had seen. The façade he'd affected to hide his feelings slipped.

"Ya, right," Daniel muttered skeptically as he touched Jack's back in a display of sympathy.

Jack stood his ground. "I'm not. The real heroes are the firefighters and EMT's." 

Understanding showed on Hammond's face. "They aren't here, son, and you are. Now just stop objecting, and let us welcome you home."

"All right, but I don't have to like it." His breath caught unevenly and he tried to cover it by pulling papers from his pocket. "Here are those lists I told you I'd bring. Can we post them in the hallway, since it seems everyone is showing up here anyway? I don't want anyone to wait any longer than they have to find out about their loved ones." Hammond took the paper from Jack's hand as Jack edged toward the infirmary.

"And Jack doesn't think he deserves this," Daniel whispered to Sam as they watched the crowd gather around as Hammond posted the lists. He asked that the list the SGC had composed be cross referenced with Jack's lists.

"I know. He doesn't realize how much this means to us," Sam whispered back.

Janet's eyes never left the Colonel. "Well, we'll just have to show him, won't we? You know all this is going to affect him more than he'll ever let on. We'll have to be there for him when the reaction hits. And not just Jack, either. We are all suffering, even those of us who didn't lose someone close to them."

The others nodded in agreement as Jack approached the three of them. He tried to enclose them in a group hug, unable to hide his wince as he did so. 

When he let go, Janet smiled. "Don't think you've gotten out of having an examination, either, Jack. You are mine."

"Don't worry, Jack, we'll protect you," Daniel reassured Fraiser's victim.

"Ya, right, I'll believe that when you keep me out of Janet's clutches." 

The whole team escorted O'Neill into the infirmary. The argument continued even if the customary banter fell flatter than usual. Daniel realized they weren't yet ready to return to normal, even the SGC's brand of normal. He knew the team would stand together to face any adversity. They would help Jack deal with the tragedy that he had witnessed first-hand, that affected them all. Facing it together was the most important thing. The foreseeable future was going to be different but they would cope with adversity on this side of the Stargate just as they did on the other—as a team

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story in my head driving across country on a three day trip to visit a fandom friend that year after 9/11. She then bullied me into writing it down, finishing it, and submitting it to a 9/11 charity zine "Mourning". It was the first story I ever wrote on the computer. Yes, I am old enough that I could only use pencil and paper when I started writing in fandom.


End file.
